Film

A century of German films: UFA turns 100

It is the most renowned German film production company: Ufa was founded in 1917 and produced films through the end of World War II, during which time it served as a propaganda tool for the Nazis.

International success stories

"The Blue Angel" (1930), now a classic of German cinema, is perhaps the film that best reflects the Ufa's first years of film production and established its international reputation. The film's lead, Marlene Dietrich, moved on to become a Hollywood star thanks to the role. The movie's depiction of Berlin from the 1920s still fascinates to this day.

Fritz Lang's monumental productions

Many of the silent movies that had previously been shot in the Ufa studios in Babelsberg near Berlin also became film classics, including the works of directors such as Ernst Lubitsch, Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau and Fritz Lang. However, the latter's ambitious productions, such as "Metropolis" (1927, above) and "Nibelungen" (1924), put the company in deep financial trouble.

F.W. Murnau's influential works

Along with Fritz Lang, who established new ideals in cinematographic art direction, Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau also became an influential film director through his works produced at the Ufa studios. Murnau's acclaimed films include "Nosferatu" (1922) and "The Last Laugh" (1924, above), in which Emil Jannings plays a nameless hotel doorman who loses his job.

The master of comedies: Ernst Lubitsch

Along with Lang and Murnau, Ernst Lubitsch was one of the best-known directors of the German silent-cinema era. Gaining international recognition with his comedies, Lubitsch moved on to Hollywood in 1922. Murnau and Lang followed later on.

Creating a German star system

The Ufa established not only the careers of directors who would later make it big in Hollywood but also a series of stars. Lilian Harvey was one of them. She is best known for her role in the Ufa production "Congress Dances" (above), a musical comedy from 1931.

The Ufa as a propaganda tool

After Hitler's seizure of power in 1933, the Ufa was quickly pulled into the Nazis' propaganda machinery. That same year "Hitler Youth Quex" was produced in the Ufa studios. Shown in the US under the title "Our Flag Leads Us Forward" and promoted as "a film about the sacrificial spirit of German youth," the work unequivocally demonstrated the studio's new role.

Leni Riefenstahl's 'Triumph of the Will'

The Ufa was also involved in the distribution of the Nazis' most prominent works of propaganda, including Leni Riefenstahl's so-called documentary "Triumph of the Will" (1935), which chronicles the 1934 Nazi Party Congress in Nuremberg. Hitler himself commissioned the film; his name appears in the opening credits as an executive producer.

Propaganda through entertainment

However, Ufa's biggest commerical success during the Third Reich era didn't star Hitler, but rather borrowed from traditional film genres. "Die große Liebe" (The Great Love, 1942) starred Zarah Leander, Viktor Staal and Grethe Weiser. The drama with musical numbers told a singer's love story with a lieutenant, showing him both on the front and off-duty.

A glimpse of fantasy

Sidestepping immediate political issues, Josef von Baky's fantasy comedy "Münchhausen" (1943) starred Hans Albers. The film, which aimed to distract the population from the war, was ordered by Nazi Propaganda Minister Goebbels to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Ufa film studio. Goebbels is said to have been strongly impressed by the Technicolor cinematography in "The Wizard of Oz."

The Ufa's final battle

Germany was already losing the war when the Ufa invested huge sums in this production: Veit Harlan's "Kolberg" (1945) was the most expensive German film of World War II. Inspired by historical events, it mythologized how a besieged town defended itself during the Napoleonic Wars. The film aimed to bolster the morale of both the troops and the general population.

Post-war comeback

Germany's defeat in 1945 also meant the end of the Ufa in its previous form. The Allies took over the country's structures and decentralized the film industry. The name Ufa, however, remained. At the end of the 1950s, the studio had a short comeback. Ufa's most remarkable post-war production is the film adaptation of B. Traven's novel "The Death Ship" (1959), starring Horst Buchholz.

A relaunch in the 1990s

Over the following decades, the name Ufa became rather synonymous with a large movie theater chain. Since the 1990s, new works have been produced under the banner UFA, initially mostly TV series, then later for the big screen as well. The film "The Physician" (2013) is one of the recent big-budget productions of the production company.

Award-winning German TV series

UFA, now spelled in capitals, has obtained international recognition with some of the TV series it has produced. Among them is the eight-episode series "Deutschland 83," which won an International Emmy Award.

International success stories

"The Blue Angel" (1930), now a classic of German cinema, is perhaps the film that best reflects the Ufa's first years of film production and established its international reputation. The film's lead, Marlene Dietrich, moved on to become a Hollywood star thanks to the role. The movie's depiction of Berlin from the 1920s still fascinates to this day.

Fritz Lang's monumental productions

Many of the silent movies that had previously been shot in the Ufa studios in Babelsberg near Berlin also became film classics, including the works of directors such as Ernst Lubitsch, Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau and Fritz Lang. However, the latter's ambitious productions, such as "Metropolis" (1927, above) and "Nibelungen" (1924), put the company in deep financial trouble.

F.W. Murnau's influential works

Along with Fritz Lang, who established new ideals in cinematographic art direction, Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau also became an influential film director through his works produced at the Ufa studios. Murnau's acclaimed films include "Nosferatu" (1922) and "The Last Laugh" (1924, above), in which Emil Jannings plays a nameless hotel doorman who loses his job.

The master of comedies: Ernst Lubitsch

Along with Lang and Murnau, Ernst Lubitsch was one of the best-known directors of the German silent-cinema era. Gaining international recognition with his comedies, Lubitsch moved on to Hollywood in 1922. Murnau and Lang followed later on.

Creating a German star system

The Ufa established not only the careers of directors who would later make it big in Hollywood but also a series of stars. Lilian Harvey was one of them. She is best known for her role in the Ufa production "Congress Dances" (above), a musical comedy from 1931.

The Ufa as a propaganda tool

After Hitler's seizure of power in 1933, the Ufa was quickly pulled into the Nazis' propaganda machinery. That same year "Hitler Youth Quex" was produced in the Ufa studios. Shown in the US under the title "Our Flag Leads Us Forward" and promoted as "a film about the sacrificial spirit of German youth," the work unequivocally demonstrated the studio's new role.

Leni Riefenstahl's 'Triumph of the Will'

The Ufa was also involved in the distribution of the Nazis' most prominent works of propaganda, including Leni Riefenstahl's so-called documentary "Triumph of the Will" (1935), which chronicles the 1934 Nazi Party Congress in Nuremberg. Hitler himself commissioned the film; his name appears in the opening credits as an executive producer.

Propaganda through entertainment

However, Ufa's biggest commerical success during the Third Reich era didn't star Hitler, but rather borrowed from traditional film genres. "Die große Liebe" (The Great Love, 1942) starred Zarah Leander, Viktor Staal and Grethe Weiser. The drama with musical numbers told a singer's love story with a lieutenant, showing him both on the front and off-duty.

A glimpse of fantasy

Sidestepping immediate political issues, Josef von Baky's fantasy comedy "Münchhausen" (1943) starred Hans Albers. The film, which aimed to distract the population from the war, was ordered by Nazi Propaganda Minister Goebbels to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Ufa film studio. Goebbels is said to have been strongly impressed by the Technicolor cinematography in "The Wizard of Oz."

The Ufa's final battle

Germany was already losing the war when the Ufa invested huge sums in this production: Veit Harlan's "Kolberg" (1945) was the most expensive German film of World War II. Inspired by historical events, it mythologized how a besieged town defended itself during the Napoleonic Wars. The film aimed to bolster the morale of both the troops and the general population.

Post-war comeback

Germany's defeat in 1945 also meant the end of the Ufa in its previous form. The Allies took over the country's structures and decentralized the film industry. The name Ufa, however, remained. At the end of the 1950s, the studio had a short comeback. Ufa's most remarkable post-war production is the film adaptation of B. Traven's novel "The Death Ship" (1959), starring Horst Buchholz.

A relaunch in the 1990s

Over the following decades, the name Ufa became rather synonymous with a large movie theater chain. Since the 1990s, new works have been produced under the banner UFA, initially mostly TV series, then later for the big screen as well. The film "The Physician" (2013) is one of the recent big-budget productions of the production company.

Award-winning German TV series

UFA, now spelled in capitals, has obtained international recognition with some of the TV series it has produced. Among them is the eight-episode series "Deutschland 83," which won an International Emmy Award.